Sign and display print association, Fespa Australia, will run its second Future Leaders programme 2023 later this year, following the success of the first.
The call for applicants for the Fespa Future Leaders Programme 2023, will be available mid-July, with the association already encouraging its members to share the details with prospective applicants for this year’s intake.
Selected candidates will attend the Future Leaders workshop over two days in Sydney 1-2 November, the days prior to the annual Fespa Australia conference.
The inaugural Fespa Future Leaders Programme was launched in July last year, with a dozen industry candidates, shortlisted from all the applicants, attending a two-day leadership workshop which was held in October, also just prior to the Fespa Annual Conference in Sydney.
From the candidates, ImageBox staffer Troy Cavanagh was selected by the leadership cohort to represent the group, and Fespa Australia, at the Fespa Global Print Expo, held in Munich in May.
Cavanagh said, “The Fespa Future Leaders Programme has been a great opportunity to meet and network with like-minded people within the print industry. Right from the moment we all met at the leadership workshop, the cohort created an instant bond, more so as we were all experiencing similar workplace issues, and looking for similar answers. Carl Harman, the programme facilitator, certainly connected with us all, and along with Fespa Australia, delivered an outstanding Future Leaders Programme.”
A number of the Future Leaders cohort, supported by their employers, travelled with Cavanagh to Germany to attend the Fespa Global Expo and the Durst HQ in Italy.
As the appointed Future Leader, Cavanagh was asked to present to the 37 country associations at the Fespa Secretaries meeting. He said, “It was great to be able to meet, network and present to the representatives, relay my personal experience within the industry and to outline the current situation in Australia, while at the same time hearing how other countries were overcoming problems they were experiencing. It was a valuable experience.
“The Fespa trade show, being my first grand expo, was a fantastic experience, seeing and learning about different technologies, speaking to international representatives gives you a great insight as to what is going on in different countries. There is always one little tip that answers a question you have. My motto for this trip was ‘when an opportunity presents itself, make the most of it', and it’s fair to say I certainly achieved more than I was expecting.”
